


Return

by sophia_m



Series: New Beginnings [2]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Depressed Luke, M/M, Mentioned Han Solo, Protective Finn, Protective Poe Dameron, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey - Freeform, Sad Luke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 09:15:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13384740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophia_m/pseuds/sophia_m
Summary: Rey does find Luke but doesn’t receive the welcome she thought she would. Even the information of Kylo Ren being back can't convince him to return. At the same time, Finn finally wakes up on D’Qar, confused and worried for Rey despite Poe reassuring him that she’ll be fine, before quickly throwing himself into the Rebellion’s plans for defeating Snoke.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel to "Defection"

When Rey held out Luke's lightsaber to him, she had thought that he would accept it, offering to teach her not only how to use it but also the Force. She hadn't expected him to just throw it over his shoulder and walk off. Confused, she retrieved it before running after Luke. Knocking on the door of the hut Luke locked himself in, Rey calls out that Leia sent her with Chewie and R2-D2 for his help in fighting the First Order. A moment passes before Luke's opening the door to stare down at Rey with a frown. 

"Where's Han?" Luke asks slowly. Rey looks away, finding herself unable to answer him but her silence is enough to tell Luke everything. "Kylo killed him, didn't he?"

"But he came back," Rey protests, "He said that he killed Han to break the hold that the light still had on him before we fought and I left him behind on Starkiller Base. But his General found him and decided to bring him to D'Qar, where the rebellion base is; he's still there. He came back there, left Snoke." Rey continues to ramble off, desperate to convince Luke to return. 

"Starkiller?" Luke whispers to himself as he steps back into the hut, his face having turned white.

Rey follows him inside hesitantly, placing the lightsaber into her satchel while resting hr staff beside the door. "Yes, Starkiller Base, the First Order created it. It could destroy whole planets, turning them into nothing. But we destroyed it."

Luke mutters to himself that it's only a matter of time before they build another as he sits down. Hovering by the door Rey begins to say something else but trails off when Luke glares up at her. "I am not going back. I came here for a reason and I do not plan on leaving." Rey stammers through a response that she thought it was because he believed that he had failed Kylo. "You don't know my reasons, "Luke replies curtly, narrowing his eyes at Rey before he tells her to leave.

When she doesn't leave, he repeats himself louder. Grabbing her staff, Rey storms back to the Millenium Falcon where Chewie greets her with a roar. Muttering that he's not coming out yet, she enters into the ship. After searching for a couple of minutes, Rey finds a heavy blanket and returns outside. Sitting on the end of the ramp with the blanket around her shoulders, Rey looks over at the huts.

"If he comes out and I've fallen asleep, wake me up," Rey tells Chewie who gives her a small roar in return while R2-D2 lets out a string of angry sounding beeps. Turning to the droid, Rey rests a hand against him while shrugging. "I don't know why. Maybe he just needs time."

As night begins to settle, Rey finds herself growing tired. At one point she felt hungry but after seeing Chewie catching and then cooking the porgs, she settled on some of the rations that she had brought along. It doens't take Rey long to fall asleep after eating, still not used to the feeling of having a full stomach.

Rey awoke shortly before dawn, her heart racing in her chest. While she had stayed asleep, her sleep had been disturbed with bizarre dreams of Kylo in a red room telling her to come to him. Sitting up, Rey glances around nervously, expecting to see Kylo hiding somewhere before remembering that he's with his mother. R2-D2 is still by her side, appearing to be powered up while Chewie is slumped over by the pit where he had cooked his dinner and from inside the Millennium Falon, Rey can hear a voice that she recognizes as Luke's. Jumping to her feet, she grabs her bag and staff as she eagerly runs into the ship. Entering the cockpit, she sees Luke seated in the pilot's seat, his face dark. Pausing in the entryway, she begins to backtrack, realizing that he might be recalling memories of Han but Luke only raises his hand and gives a small gesture for her to come in.Taking the chair beside of him, Rey sighs quietly, resting her staff across her lap. Luke looks over at Rey and she can tell that there are tears in his eyes. 

"Do you know what happened?" Luke finally says after a few minutes of sitting in silence. Rey shakes her head, not saying anything in reply in worry that she might offend him. "What did Ben say when his General brought him to Leia?"

"I don't know when I left he was still unconscious. But he might be awake now." Rey says, frowning at the name "Ben". They fall quiet again before Rey speaks up again, "What happened? With Kylo?"

When Luke doesn't show any sign of responding, Rey shakes her head and mumbles that it's fine and it's not important for her to know. "I killed him." Rey frowns, confused by what he means. "Ben Solo died that night and from there on it was only Kylo Ren."

Rey nods, looking back out the window at the island. Chewie has woken up and is by R2-D2 who is rocking back and forth. In the distance, by the huts, Rey can see smoke rising from them, another sign that Luke isn't the only lifeform on this island. "How did you kill Ben?"

"For a while, I had felt a disturbance in my nephew; a darkness that was brewing within him and I knew it wouldn't be long until it erupted. I just didn't realize that he was being manipulated right away. It was night, there was rain, Ben was sleeping while the disturbance was keeping me awake so I went to his bed. I couldn't see anything that resembled light in him anymore so I took my lightsaber and for a moment, yes, I did consider it. It would've been painless for him but then I realized what I was thinking about doing and I stepped back, horrified at myself for even thinking that I could do it. But before I could leave, Ben woke up. He saw me standing over him, my lightsaber out and held above him so he grabbed his and threw me away from him. When I came to, a few students were missing- having gone with Ben- while the rest were dead, burned from fires that Ben had started and buried under rubble." Luke pauses for a moment, rubbing a hand over his face. "If I had just been patient, talked to Ben, talked to Han and Leia, their son would still be with them, finding alongside us not against us. Kylo Ren may have come back to my sister but he's no longer the Ben she knew and loved. That boy is gone. And it is my fault."

Rey wants to say that he's wrong, that Kylo Ren may have been the one who came back but that Ben could still be there, buried deep within him and maybe Luke needs only to give him a chance but before she can say anything, Luke is standing to his feet. "Do you still have the lightsaber?" Rey nods, quickly taking it from the satchel and holding it back out to him. Luke glares down at it momentarily before looking up at her, "I will train you to use both the Force and the lightsaber but after that, once I have decided that you are ready, you leave without me and you don't come back. I have nothing off of this island."


	2. Chapter 2

As he had been doing since Rey brought Finn back to D'Qar, Poe found himself going to see Finn. Having been going there each day, Poe decided just to kept a chair there so he could sit and watch over Fin by his side, checking for any sign that perhaps he was finally going to wake up. BB-8 usually joined him, reminding him when he had been there too long and needed to eat something with small sad beeps that told Poe that the droid shared similar feelings on Finn still being in a coma. This time when Poe entered the room, his usual seat was already occupied. Hux's orange cat that enjoyed playing with BB-8 as though he was a toy was sitting on the chair, looking over Finn.

Trying to pick up her up so he could move her to the floor, Poe withdrew his hands when Millicent turned in his grip and expertly tried to claw his face. As he let her go, she instead settled on giving him a couple of claw marks on his wrist and the back of his hands before stretched herself out, resting her entire body on the chair. 

After spending another few minutes attempting to coax Millicent off of the chair, Poe gave up and just sat on the bed itself, rubbing his scratched skin. Finn's chest is rising and falling steadily but the lack of warmth emitting from his skin stills worries Poe despite being told multiple times that that is to be expected with the condition that Finn is currently in. Grabbing the ex-stormtrooper's hand, Poe grips it tightly as there's a knock on the doors to the room. Poe, having a suspicion of who it is, doesn't bother to look over to see who it is before waving them in.

"Is he still asleep?" Leia's voice echoes through the room. Poe nods, rubbing a thumb over the back of Finn's hand. "They're saying he should be awake soon, don't worry." 

Poe snaps that it's unfair that Kylo was awake within two cycles while Finn's already been asleep for almost twelve cycles. A second voice agrees with Poe's sentiments. Looking over, Poe is surprised to find Ren is the doorway, arms folded his back. 

"Hux and I are looking for Millicent and recently when she's disappeared I've been finding her in this room." He states as he enters the room. Poe can tell from the stiffness of his movements that his shoulder has again been wrapped under his shirt and he's rather surprised that he feels bad for Ren. With ease, Ren picks up Millicent, petting the top of her head. "Sorry to have interrupted."

Leia shakes her head, affectionally patting her son's cheek with a weak smile. "I was planning to go and find you and Hux after I collected Poe." At that, both Poe and Kylo and look over at her, sporting matching frowns. Her smile growing ever so slightly, she responds to their unspoken question, "We believe that we may have a way of getting to Snoke based on yours and Hux's testimony."

Ren winces at the mention of their testimonies, remembering just what he had to reveal to his mother. He did realize however that because his mother was the General, he had had it relatively easy when compared to what Hux had to go through. The two of them had been separated for the day leading up to their interrogations and while Ren had a private interrogation before his mother and four others, Commander D'Acy, Lieutenant Connix, Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo and Admiral Ackbar; Hux had been tortured and interrogated for hours in front and to the amusement, of all those who wished to watch. He had his mind probed by Leia, revealing every thought he had about her son to her. But their testimonies had helped in having more of the base finally accept them, some still kept their distance and muttered killer or monster whenever they were near but that was to be expected.

Hux had been helping Ren with controlling his emotions, getting him to channel his anger at them instead into destroying useless metal scraps the mechanics would provide, or rather that Leia told them to provide. Hux was still certain that if Ren ever laid a hand on a member of the Rebellion or a piece of Rebellion equipment without permission, the two of them would be executed without a trial.  

"Could you find Hux and then bring yourselves to the command room for the meeting?" Leia asks the two of them as Poe looks back down at Finn, giving his hand a squeeze before dropping it back onto the side of the bed and saying she'll follow him there. Kylo takes a step to the side, allowing them to pass while replying that he'll go get Hux and they'll be there in a few minutes but as he exits the room, Hux is approaching them with two Resistance soldiers, holding onto him by his arms. He's wearing a firm scowl, his eyes narrowed at the ground in front of him as he tries to argue his way out of their grip.

"We caught him trying to break into the Imperial Shuttle they landed in." One the soldiers says before any of them can ask. 

"I was looking for Millicent." Hux growls making Poe smiles faintly as he tells them to let him go. "See, I was telling the truth." 

Leia frowns at Hux for a moment before telling him that they're having a meeting. He nods, adjusting the collar of his loose shirt before taking Millicent from Kylo and setting her down on the ground with a warning not to bother Finn anymore. She meows softly as though she can understand him and runs off. Leia leads them to the command room, giving them a quick review of what the meeting will entail before advising Hux and Kylo to stay near her for the entirety of the meeting. Kylo nods, glancing over Hux who's face is slowly turning white. Poe mumbles something about staying near them as well which gives both men a nice surprise. Poe is planning on looking out for them?  

When they arrive at the command room, most of the soldiers are already gathered. C-3PO is by the main control panel with BB-8 with Lieutenant Connix and Admiral Ackbar who are whispering to each other, a hologram of the Finalizer slowly flickering on in front of them. Taking up her spot between Connix and Ackbar, Leia begins talking to those gathered. 

"As many of you know, we recently conducted two full separate interrogations into the reasons behind Co-Commander of the First Order Kylo Ren and fellow Co-Commander and First Order General Armitage Hux defecting to the rebellion. While the interrogations turned up no reason to suspect ulterior motives, the responses they provided us has led us to believe that perhaps there is a way of defeating Snoke. As many of you know, Ren is force sensitive, something the Supreme Leader Snoke used to exploit him when he was young. However, as far as we are concerned Snoke does not know that both of his commanders are here, having defected, he might be believing that they perished alongside his Starkiller Base. And we will use that to our advantage."

A few people shout out why are Hux and Kylo sitting on this meeting but Leia quickly silences them with a lift of her arm before she continues.

"We will be sending Hux and Kylo back to the Finalizer in the Imperial Shuttle they arrived here in." Another uproar goes around the gathered crowd, this one only silenced when Poe stands up, shouting at them to stop. "They will be sent alone. Apparently, there is a throne room of sorts where Snoke can be found. Kylo will go there with Hux, saying that there was an accident when they were escaping Starkiller that resulted in Hux becoming lost and the two of crashing on some planet where they were able to disguise themselves and find food and shelter until they were able to steal parts and restore the shuttle. As it's a craft of their own, we believe it will be unlikely that they will be fired upon. We will then stage an attack with our squads and from within the Finalizer, Kylo and Hux will then neglicate to properly command their defence and therefore allow us easy access to fire on them. Kylo and Hux will then return to Snoke or more likely, he will call for them."

"Kylo has informed me that Snoke is guarded by 8 warriors who are known as the Elite Praetorian Guard and who are skilled in various martial arts, including Teräs Käsi, and all carry various high-tech melee weapons. My hope is that Rey will be back with my brother by the time we are finished planning this out as it is all still very rough. Being trained on, hopefully, a similar level as Kylo by the time of her return, Rey will go with them as well and both her and Kylo will defeat the guards and Snoke while Hux disables the rest of their ships from the bridge before destroying their storage of weapons and crafts on their way back. Now yes, this is a stretch but I am confident in my brother's abilities to teach Rey and in Kylo's chances of being able to train Hux to keep his thoughts hidden in case Snoke decides to probe their minds." 

Leia asks if anyone has any questions before taking a seat and allowing Vice Admiral Holdo to take over responding to the outcry in protest of her plan from those still having doubts about Kylo and Hux and their true intentions. Hux looks over at Kylo, his heart beating loudly in his chest. Kylo has begun to teach him how to use and control the Force but he is nowhere close to being able to control what thoughts he reveals during a mind probe as proven only nights earlier during his interrogation. And if Snoke is able to see whichever thought he wants, then the plan will be halted as quickly as it began. Kylo, seeming to have the same concern, grabs Hux's hand and tries to give him a reassuring smile but it comes off more as a grimace. 


End file.
